AT&T Wireless is a wholly owned subsidiary of AT&T and was formerly known as Cingular Wireless. Headquartered just outside of Atlanta, GA, it offers cellular and data services across the U.S. It the second largest wireless communications service provider in the country after Verizon.

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The Good

Basic Plan Affordability
Unlimited Plans
No-Contract Options
Device Compatibility
Hotspots Available

Basic Plan Affordability

Compared to other big-name cell phone providers, AT&T has some of the best prices for talk and text cell phone services.

AT&T offers a barebones phone plan to customers starting at just $30/line per month (when you enroll in monthly credit card or bank AutoPay). This is a great non-contract option for customers who want a basic phone plan with minimal data (1 GB). This is also a great product because customers can get unlimited text and voice at a price that undercuts both contract and non-contract competitors.

Unlimited Plans

Customers who want unlimited data also have some good options with AT&T's unlimited plans. Data plans are on the pricier side but include good network coverage and ample entertainment benefits.

Starting at $40/line per month, you get unlimited talk minutes, text, and data at 4G LTE speeds in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, as well as 480p DVD quality video streaming (max of 1.5 Mbps) and access to 35+ live TV channels.

The carrier's top Premium plan includes even more entertainment options: a choice of one complimentary membership with HBO, Cinemax, Pandora Premium, or a number of other entertainment services.

No-Contract Options

AT&T offers both non-contract prepaid cell phone plans and contract cell phone services and is clear as to differences between what each plan includes.

Device Compatibility

AT&T provides a SIM card for users with older iPhones and Android phones if you want to bring your own device. With these SIM cards, phone users can continue to use their phone for a little bit while longer if they don't have the money to purchase a new phone. Or, they can purchase any unlocked phone to use on the AT&T network.

In addition to Windows phones and Android phones, customers can buy phones with the Amazon Fire operating system, allowing them to enjoy their eBooks and apps purchased through Amazon.

Additionally, AT&T also sells other devices that can be managed with the cellular plan, including:

Tablets
Cellular modems and routers
Digital TV services

AT&T has tablets available that support Windows 8, Apple iOS, Android, and the Fire OS by Amazon.

Hotspots Available

AT&T offers a number of different mobile hotspots, including the AT&T Unite Pro. This device has up to sixteen hours of power and lets you boost the battery life of your smartphone. The Unite Pro also lets clients share an Internet connection with up to fifteen devices. Several of AT&T's plans include mobile hotspot data usage, including the Unlimited3 plan which allows up to 10 GB of 4G LTE data with mobile hotspot.

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The Bad

Customer Complaints

Customer Complaints

AT&T reviews bring to light concerns stemming from the contract service and the overage fees.

While the pay-as-you-go plans are subject to data throttling, there is a service fee of $15 per GB that a client goes over their monthly data quota. Other customers have complained about the slowness of the network when they start using a lot of data on their monthly-unlimited plan.

Other customers take issue with AT&T's customer service, network coverage, and pricing.

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The Bottom Line

AT&T Wireless offers contract and plan flexibility to customers by including both contract and non-contract services. It has some of the best entry-level plans in the industry along with a wide variety of phones and other devices to choose from.

AT&T Wireless has one of the most diverse offerings of mobile hotspots, with one brand that is able to support up to fifteen devices. There are also battery backup options on most of the mobile hotspots for smartphones that may need a quick battery boost.

In order to get the most out of your data plan, make sure you have purchased the appropriate monthly data plan for your needs. If you start getting towards the end of your data quota, you may find that your data plan is being throttled.

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User Reviews

Star Rating

3.8

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1,250 Reviews

Review Breakdown

5 grade

35%

4 grade

29%

3 grade

19%

2 grade

1 grade

Sentiment Criteria

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Martha Moncks Corner, SC

I was a customer for AT&T for over seven years when I left I had a paid off to your old phone and was still paying over $100 per month for service they shut down their customer service at 8 o’clock at night no one to reach in case of emergency if you missed paying your bill it was a $50 service charge put on To get your phone up and running again after seven years you think I have a little leeway since my business is my phone

1 day ago

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Fred Frontino Mesa, AZ

I bought a house last year just outside town and could not get any cell reception with Verizon. ATT put up a new tower near us so we switched and have been thrilled with the service and reception. I usb tether my computer to my cell and get much faster speeds than with my actual ISP. I added a couple extra lines at 30 gb data each and have been thrilled with the service. Also got a new Samsung 20Ultra the day they came out for free for changing over.

3 weeks ago

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Frank Orlando, FL

As a DirecTV subscriber I would like to thank you for assisting my with my Subscription issues last week. You were thoughtful and efficient in following up With the situation. You also provided me with useful information. I received my Package quickly and completely. Thank you

2 weeks ago

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MindyV Lubbock, TX

I currently have AT&T as my wireless provider and I'm really not very happy with them and I'm considering changing. First of all, they have NO CLUE how to process auto pay. Auto pay shouldn't be tricky at all!!!! It should automatically take money out of the debit card that is on the account at the time the payment is due. That should be simple. But apparently it's not. After I switched to AT&T and set up autopay, I received a text message and an email saying that my autopay was processed. They took the money out of my account and then they put it back in my account a few days later, claiming that I was late on my payment. It's very annoying when they offer a discount to customers who use autopay, but they have no idea how to process autopay properly. Since I don't trust them with autopay, I'm manually making my payments, so I don't get any discounts at all. But I can't trust them to process my autopayments at all!!!!! You'd think that a huge company like AT&T could handle figuring out how to process autopayments, but sadly they can't. My best friend has cell phone service with AT&T and they allow her to upgrade her cell phone when she's paid for half of what is due on her current cell phone. AT&T refuses to let me upgrade until I've paid off my cell phone in full. They don't treat all customers fairly or the same.

1 month ago

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Gwen Hurd Smyrna, GA

I am a long time Customer of AT&T partially via merger/company buyouts. I believe that if it's not broke, don't fix it. It works , they have the best network and the best Sales/Service technicians who treat you like you are a Human Being. AT&T always has the best selection of products.

1 month ago

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macmoran family Stockton, CA

AT&T has worked hard over the last couple of years to provide solid service to its customer base. Wasn't always that way when we first started with our service, but it is that way now. Family plan and solid customer service attention works well for our needs

1 month ago

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Jackie Hanko Tampa, FL

Through all my years of having a cell phone I’ve never had an issue with AT&T… I currently have a Rison only because I am under my sisters plan but prior to that I wasn’t AT&T customer for many years and I never had any issues and my family continues to use AT&T and I never hear any issues from them… I believe the AT&T and Verizon do you have the best service and it doesn’t seem to matter where you go you will always have service it doesn’t go out in any specific black out area which is very comforting to know especially if your car is going to break down or you’re scared it’s good to know that you can rely on AT&T

3 months ago

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blas Hyattsville, MD

This company in two and half mouths service was making me run crazy. I had 4 lines for the beginning, they took one line out and I canot get it back. They started to telling me that in contract is broken. Charging me for the free phone. Asking to pay the same mouth other with the service will be suspended. I’m not with them anymore but my line in gone for no raison

2 weeks ago

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Jean Pleimann Hollywood, FL

Great service & customer help if needed. I get service in remote places where other phone companies had no service at all. Highly recommend

3 weeks ago

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G S Fort Worth, TX

I currently have 4 cell phones with AT&T and have for over 10 years The service has always been great and have never experienced any black.outs or ability to get a signal

1 month ago

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Aaron H ,

Coverage is good but lacking in customer support. Got a deal on two iPhone 11's (Buy One & Get One Free) they didn't value the second device, so at the end of the day we had to pay them off. Thankfully T-Mobile was willing to buy out both phones (Over $1000) and give us two additional phones for half off. We are disappointed after being long time customers, but definitely not looking back.

1 month ago

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Aaliyah Fuller Tallahassee, FL

AT&T is a great phone service. Unlike other services, I am able to maintain connection and cell signal in areas that typically other cell services tend to disconnect in. Sometimes, AT&T can run a little slow, but it's still better than other services, in my opinion.

2 months ago

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Caprice Watkins Harrisburg, PA

Depending on what part of the world you’re on, depends on the type of service you’ll receive. Service is not good in areas. The customer service is not good, but I still have their service. The pricing is not bad for the products.

1 month ago

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Kelly Knight , IL

They claim to have all 4g. 5g services but none of them work unless your in a city or town they've set up the tower for. I live in a semi rural area. There are 3 towers within 10 miles of my house . none of them are active 1 damaged 15 years ago & never fixed it as they said. None of their services work here including al the internet service on the website they offer and say will work for us. We have a pretty large population around this lake& nobody gets a cell signal from ATT or any other provider. Landlines are your best bet but I kept losing it everytime a major rain fall hit. The cable was changed 5 times in 2 years before I gave up.. Customer service is in the Philippines& cant understand what there saying. It's the worst but every body else is doing the same thing. Cell works fine in the bigger towns & cities b8have a long way to go in customer satisfaction for semi rural areas with no other options for better reception or internet

2 months ago

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Yeun Childers Evanston, IL

I have been with AT&T for many years. I like that you can change your plan online. I like that they are constantly innovating the plans as well. I like that they will allow monthly installments to pay for your phone. I dislike having to pay monthly for insurance and possibly a deductible with the insurance company. I dislike having to contact customer service as it always seems like a hassle and end up spending too much time on the phone with them. I dislike having phone issues (sending & receiving) as it is annoying but I dislike having to contact customer service even more so I just bare with the issues.

2 months ago

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Thea T. Elkins Park, PA

They give you such a good deal when you first sign up but it's only good the day you sign up. Afterwards my bill is so high, it's ridiculous. Trying to get customer service over the phone is also extremely tough. They couldn't resolve anything for me and told me to go to a store front. Even at the store, it took them a while to help with my issues and it's resolved on location but once I get home, the same problem occurred again.

1 month ago

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L Cody Morongo Valley, CA

Been with AT&T for a long time. Not many issues , but they have their moments . Their service at their stores is pretty awful. Phone service is better. Price is OK. Not as good as some but staying put for now.

1 month ago

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Peggy Reed East Orange, NJ

Recently AT&T has really upgraded their service and promotions. I have been a customer for 20 years and this year I have found them to really responding to the competitors and offering outstanding promotions.

1 month ago

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Caloway Salt Lake City, UT

Decent company with good coverage. They are cheaper than some of their competitors and have good coverage. However, there were a few times when I ran into a few places where their coverage was spotty but everyone else that I was with had coverage. Overall good company.

3 months ago

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Steve Ashby Portland, OR

I've been on AT&T for many years on personal and corporate cell planes and they have always been good. Corporate is a little difficult to get help with as they want you to always go through your plan owner in the company, and in a big company that one person can be difficult to track down.

3 months ago

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Sandi Portland, OR

I have been with AT&T since the beginning of cell phone service. It used to be Cingular. They are definitely best in service and coverage. Only down side was service options in Europe.

2 months ago

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John DeTroye Aurora, CO

Have been an AT&T customer for over 20 years. Their strength is in the depth of support they provide, both online and in their stores. I have experienced store associates going out of their way many times to make sure my issue or concern was resolved. The downside of AT&T seems to be in their lack of coverage expansion away from the coasts. In the midwest and mountain regions, I have experienced weak or no coverage far too often when traveling while acquaintances with other major carriers were not inconvenienced.

2 months ago

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Shane Hallowell Summerville, SC

Overall an OK company. Make sure you watch your bills though because they often change and you’ll have to call to get them fixed. Phone service seems to be pretty good in most places but when you hit a dead spot you’re not going to get anything

2 months ago

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Wayne De Field Dallas, TX

What I like about this company is they have good plans for decent fees, what I don’t like is there resolution to problems with bought services. They have passed me over to many different departments during figuring out problems, it seems like they want you to give up...?

3 months ago

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Brendon Haacke Kuna, ID

I’ve had AT&T while living in Las Vegas and Boise. Service is excellent in LV, but only ‘pretty good’ in Boise. Need more and newer, updated towers to make it top-notch. Despite being only pretty good, I have no dropped calls or issues with phone calls. It’s the spotty LTE network that could use the most updating. Overall, satisfied with my service.

3 months ago

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Evelyn Gwynn Waldorf, MD

I have been with AT&T for a very long time. I love the customer service I receive whenever I call time. I have purchased two Iphones from their stores and the staff has been so knowledgeable and friendly. Never has anyone been overbearing or forceful. Each time everything was explained to me so I could go home with my phone confident I would be able to use each.

5 months ago

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Stella B Larchmont, NY

I was with AT&T for 14 years before I realized what a loveless marriage it was. All they did was hide their pricing structure and raised the prices every year. Service was middling at best.

2 months ago

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Ken McMillen Oakdale, CA

I have been on a family plan for year's. We get good service in most places some other carriers don't but also not so great in other areas.

1 month ago

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Greg Clayton ,

I was a customer of AT&T for several years until I moved to a location with no AT&T service and had to switch. I always received great customer service and devices from AT&T.

1 month ago

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Dr Al Sarno Manhattan, KS

Cell phone service where others drop off! Great rates and great iphones! Worked with me during a tough patch of cash flow!

1 month ago

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David Janowitz ,

Great plan and great customer service! They always finds ways to lower my costs. Very happy with my service and the customer service!

1 month ago

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Jesse Breffle Littleton, CO

Nightmare. My sister was invited to look into a deal at a store, and the representative blatantly lied to her and was charged well over the promised price, even before any agreements were made. On top of that the customer service has hung up, disconnected, ignored, and refused to help in anyway. They then got charged on services they didn't use, didn't even have phones yet. They had to cancel their card to stop the charges. AT&T has yet to help in any way. This is not only worthless customer service, it is fraud! I have never seen or experienced this level of ineptitude in a company. It is laughable, baffling, and embarrassing, that a company of such size, has such a high level of incompetence and useless customer service. I will never use or recommend this service to anyone.

3 months ago

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Josephine Jael Jimenez Tustin, CA

Have had a cell phone through them for years and am very satisfied with their cell range and value, especially since adding Mexico service for free. Internet was not great, however.

2 months ago

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Jennifer Cale Conway, AR

AT&T has been my phone provider for years and their customer service is their strong suit. They have consistently helped me with phone updates, billing, and any other issues that have come up over the years.

5 months ago

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Phoenicia Cloud Rosamond, CA

They have one of the best service areas but the customer service is not the most pleasant. It seams as though they do not focus in the customer but rather the payment from the customer. I had over good experiences with the service and my phone itself has not had any problems.

3 months ago

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dhab Salem, NH

Quality network where we needed it! Not everywhere you want it to be but getting better. The overall maps form all the phone companies are not detailed enough to truely know the coverage in your home/town - but when we had a issue AT&T offered to provide a booster at very low cost.

3 months ago

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Kara Thompson Humble, TX

a very reliable phone service, no matter where im at i can make a call i rarely loose service. i never dread going into an at&t store and have never had problems. customer service is nice and willing to help every time iv called or been there i have had at&t since my first phone and still to this day love it.

4 months ago

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jaci finch Corpus Christi, TX

AT&T was my family's old cell phone provide. The network coverage is amazing, but the issue is it became far too expensive over time. My parents had an unlimited plan for years, but eventually they made them get off of it because the price was so out dated. The plan they switches to to ended up costing us over 300$ a month, especially because we often went over the small data limits. We switched to Sprint, which while the coverage is not as good as AT&T, it is easier on the pocketbook.

5 months ago

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A. Taylor Panama City, FL

My ATT service is through their acquisition of Cricket Mobile. The coverage is as good as any I've ever experienced. The plans are straight forward, all encompassing, reliable and very cost effective. High quality and dependability have been hallmarks of this service. I highly recommend it.

5 months ago

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Rose Raucci Merritt Island, FL

I have been a customer of AT&T for many years. I feel that the rates are reasonable and whenever I need customer service the accessibility through the app is helpful and informative. I rarely have network issues with wireless or internet connection.

5 months ago

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aoelberg Nacogdoches, TX

I have no choice but to use AT&T due to the are I live in. I live in a very rural area, that is only serviced by AT&T for both cell and house phone services. They charged us $85 a month for house phone services which included unlimited local and long distance. However there were areas that were "gray". Too far to be local to close to be long distance. These calls cost me $.10 a minute. Unfortunately my wife's cell phone as well as my dads were both numbers that fell into this gray area. We found out when we got a phone bill of over $300 between the original $85 for service, multiple fees that even the customer service and billing reps could not explain and the calls made to my dad and my wife. It was horrible. Disconnected the next month.

5 months ago

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Lamont Young ,

AT&T is the TOPS!! I have been an AT&T paying customer for over 15 years. My family and I have the phones, internet, and the newly added Direct TV. The whole time, we've been thoroughly satisfied with the product and service AT&T provides. And HUGE THANKS for helping my family and I out during the COVID-19 pandemic. I'll never leave this family oriented company!

6 months ago

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Erin Abel San Marcos, TX

I have been a customer of AT&T since cell phones were invented. I have always been extremely happy with their service - although I was not always a big fan of the fact that they did not have unlimited data without paying a lot more. I wrote many reviews (as I am sure others did), and they heard us! Ever since they came out with their unlimited data plan, I have become a totally satisfied customer. I will never go anywhere else!

6 months ago

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odessa wright Lufkin, TX

My experience with AT&T is pretty good for the most part . One of the things that I don't like is when you call in to speak to a live person it takes what seems like forever. I like personal service, not talking to an automated machine. But other than that I have been a valued customer for a long time & I have no intentions of changing providers. Thanks AT&T

7 months ago

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Scott A. Johnson Pleasant Grove, UT

AT&T is among the higher priced mobile phone service providers but you often get what you pay for in this industry. I have previously been with Verizon (the most expensive) and T-Mobile (less expensive, but poor coverage). AT&T has a robust and reliable network with good speed. As someone who travels for work, it is comforting to know that my phone will get a connection all over the U.S., something I could not count on with T-Mobile.

8 months ago

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Subzero35 York, PA

I’ve been a customer of ATT for over 7 years and I barely ever have any issues with my bills and phones. On the rare occasion there is an issue, the customer service representatives are always friendly, treat me with respect as well as making me feel valued by the company. The company when there is an issue will always do everything they can to fix the problem. The prices are very reasonable, the service and reception are near perfect and they are always up to date with the latest technology so they can ensure their products will function properly and have very little problems. Another bonus is the sales reps will try to sell a product as its their jobs however they aren’t pushy and actually listen to the customers needs and wants. When I’ve had a phone delivered from the main warehouse it always shows up safely, quickly and the box that the phone arrives in is always secure.

1 year ago

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Kristin Pegram ,

I have been with AT&T for over 10 years. I started with their Uverse package and rolled over into using only only their internet and streaming app, AT Tv. Due to taxes on cable in Texas, my bill changed way too much. Nothing to do with AT&T. Overall, my experience has been a good one. Their customer service has improved over the years, they are happy to fix anything that’s wrong with the internet service, my bill stays the same. If I’m unsatisfied with something they certainly do their best to make amends, usually by offering a discount on part of the bill. Service rarely experiences any interruptions in my area, and out entire house is typically streaming at one time. Overall, good experience for me.

11 months ago

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Brian DeVos Boiling Springs, SC

GREAT Service and coverage, but they are among the highest cost providers. Recently upgraded plans to get new phones and trade-in credits.

1 month ago

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Elmer Pimentel Pacoima, CA

Working with AT&T you know you will get the best service! They have some of the best quality products!

1 month ago

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Bernadine Birdsong Studio City, CA

I used Tmobile for years but when I married my husband he was a supervisor at ATT so I switched. Boy was that the wrong move. ATT has the worst customer service and very expensive plans when you travel out of the country

1 month ago

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